Method of and means for making spring-beard knitting needles



July 8, 1924. 1,500,627

J. LAWSON ET AL METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING SPRING BEARD KNITTING NEEDLES Filed July 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1.. 5 r I 3 I s Q I I8 I ,8

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July 8. 1924. v 1,500,627

J. LAWSON ET AL METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING SPRING BEARD KNITTING NEEDLES Filed July 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fx'gfi ,Ifi

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E e/e77 4. 00/777? Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,500,627 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LAWSON, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, AND EVERETT A. QUINT, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG'NO'RS TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND,.A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

mnrnon or AND MEANS Fen MAKING SPRING-BEARD- KNITTING NEEDLES.

' Application filed July 24, 1923. Serial No. 658,457.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN LAWSON and Evnnn'r'r A. QUINT, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Pawtucket, county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, and of New Brunswick, county of Middlesex, and State of New J ersey, have invented an Improvement in Methods of and Means for Making Spring- Bea'rd Knitting Needles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,

like chara-cters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to the method of v and means for making spring beard needles, but the needle itself and the knitting organization including the same are not herein claimed, beingthe subject-matter of another co-pending application filed by us under re uirement for division by the. United States atent Oflice.

In order that the principle of the invention may be-readily understood, we will de-- scribe the preferred embodiment of the needle and the best mode of making the same, together with one form of means by which the method of the invention may be practised and the needle-of our invention may be manufactured. 1

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, twice enlarged, of a steel wire which has been swaged or reduced until the intermediate part thereof has been reduced to a smaller diameter and one end has been reduced to a still smaller diameter; I

, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but representing the upper or smaller end of the blank as milledor otherwise beveled or reduced to a still smaller diameter, preparato to forming a spring beard thereat;

Fig. 2 'is a view, upon an enlarged scale, of the upper end'only of the blank, to show the efi'ect of the rounding up or grinding. with tapering;

Fig. '3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but representing the heard as completed;

Fig. 3 is a view, upon an enlarged scale, of the upper end of the needle blank shown in Fig. 3, but turned at ninety degrees to show the tapering;

Fig. 4 is a view of the retained lower part only of the needle blank and representing the same as bent to provide material for. the butt that is to operate in the cam groove of'the cam ring;

F ig. 5 is aside elevation, three times enlarged, f the needle blank after it has been flattened, but before the lower end and. butt have been trimmed;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 but representing the needle as completed, excepting fora lateral bending which :'-.".y be resorted to in order to provide sufiicient friction in the needle grooves of the needle cylinder;

Fig. 7 is an edge view of the needle shown in Fig. 6 and representing the same as slightly laterally bent to provide for friction 'in its groove of the needle cylinder;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the needle blank in its condition represented in Fig. 5 and showing one form of support and die for trimming the needle butt;

Fig; 9 is a horizontal section taken through the punch which cooperates. with the die indicated in Fig. 8; i

Fig. 10 is a plan view on the scale of Figs. 5 and 6 and showing the parts that are trimmed ofi'; and

Fig. 11 is a detail, partly in vertical section and partly in interior elevation representing a .few of the needle butts in the cam groove.

Spring beard needles are old and Well known in the art; in fact the needles of the first knitting machine were spring beard needles. For more than one hundred years all knitting machine needles were of the spring beard type, as it was not until toward the middle of the nineteenth century that the latch needle was invented by Matthew Townsend. Spring beard needles both of the independent type and of the fixed type, are also well known, and at the present day there is an increasing demand is provided with a butt to be received in and operated by the walls of the cam groove of the cam ring. Such a jack is preferably laterally bent so as to give it sufficient friction to retain its position in the needle groove and the butt'thereof is of relat vely.

great height so as properly to operate in the said cam groove of the cam ring. At-

. tempts have even been made to shape by bending the lower or some intermediate part of the stem of the spring beard needle of the independent type into a butt of U form,

- which butt was to be received in the vcam groove of the cam ring. Such a needle, so

far as we are aware, has never been commercially acceptable or satisfactory, and 1n all such cases of which we are aware, the stock of the butt was of the same diameter as the stem of the needle, or at'least of the mam lower part of the stemof the needle.

So far as. we are aware, no one has'eyer produced or attempted to make a spring beard needle of the independent type of substantially the form shown in Fig. 6 and which, as a characteristic feature thereof, is

needle 'of our invention.

The needle of our invention overcomes the objections tothe spring beard needles of the prevailingtype now upon'the market in that we avoid the necessity of forming a separate jack for each needle and bending the needle to conform to the shape of and to engage a suitable notch or recess of the jack. Inasmuch also as the needle of, our invention is of one-integral piece, there is no possibility of slippage or relative. displacement, such as may occur between the usual spring beard needle and its jack.

We are aware that latch needles have long been provided with integral butts to be received in and operated by the cam groove of the cam ring. A latch needle is, however, radically different in many and well known ways from a spring beard needle. The parts which cooperate with the spring beard needle and the latch needle in the formation of the stitch are wholly different, and the processes or steps to which the needles of these two types must be subjected during formation are wholly and radically different.

Inthe drawings,- we have represented the several steps or stages in the manufacture of the spring beard needle of our invention according to the best mode now known to us for making the same. Certain of the steps may be modified or changed without departing from the principles of our invention as an entirety, and certain of these changes will be hereinafter referred to.

For the needle of our invention we employ what is known as steel needle wire, such wirebeing of cast steel and annealed. It.

is known upon the market as spring beard needle wire and is purchased in coils of uniform diameter or size. The coils are annealed, and all thesteps of the process hereinafter described are carried out with which we are not limited, but during the early stages of manufacture, according to 'the present disclosure, the portion C is of the relative length indicated, so as to provide herein a handle for convenience of ma;- nipulation.

The end of the portion A is still further .reduced in diameter in one dimension in any suitable manner but preferably by a: suitable milling operation, as by clamping a num-' ber of the blanks in a holder and subjecting them to the action of a suitable milling tool, so as to reduce the stock to a proper diameter in such dimension preparatory to the rounding up or grinding and tapering operation preliminary to the formation of the beard indicated at 3 in the several figures.

After the said milling or other'reducing' operation, the blanks are treated individually by subjecting the milled portion thereof to a grinding operation for the purpose or rounding up that portion of the blank, and atthe same time tapering the same gradually to a point, so as to provide the proper shape preparatory to the bending of the end to form the beard 3, and so as to give the necessary smoothness to the blank following the milling operation. In order to grind and thereby taper each blank, it is important that the blank be of cylindrical shape throughout, or in other words that it be not yet subjected to the bending operati on initially to form the butt or to the buttflattening operation, because the blank could not then be held in the hand and turnedconstantly with the necessary delicacy of touch which is requisite to forming the beard of the proper taper. It will be understood that the formation of the beard of the proper taper is of extreme importance, as if this step of the operation be improperly carried out, the needle will not be of the proper gauge and must be rejected. In Figs. 2 and 3- we have indicated the tapering of the end portion of the blank. It will be understood that the rounding up or, grinding with taperingdoes not remove the flat efi'ect resulting from the milling, but does remove actual size.

the edges or corners thereof. On the contrary, the upper or milled end of the blank is flat, but also of a generallytapering formation and particularly at or toward the point 5 At some suitable step in the operation, the groove or so-called nucate 4 is formed into which the point 5 of the needle heard 3 is pressed during or preparatory to the casting off of the stitch. Desirably this groove or eye, as it is sometimes called, is cut or formed in the blank after the milling operation and before the grinding or rounding up operation, and therefore directly after the step of the operationindicated in Fig. 2.

It will be observed from the sections upon Figs. 1, 2 and 3 that the wire or material of the blank is round excepting at the milled portion. After the needle has been brought to the form shown in Fig. 3, the handle part of the portion C, if existent, is cut ofl, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment of the invention, as at the dotted line 02-02 Fig. 3, so as to provide merely SufilCimil] length for the butt, which in its preliminary shape is represented at 6 in Fig. 4. Within the scope of our invention, the cutting off of a handle part of the portion C and the bending of' the retained lower part to form the butt 6 may precede or follow the formation of the needle beard 3, but desirablyit follows the same. Furthermore, our invention is not limited to an operation which involves the production of a blank of excess length, thus providing a handle portion C, as within the scope of the invention, the

blank may be suitably manipulated, al-

though not of excess length, and indeed in such case a saving of material is effected which is especially desirable when manufacturing in large quantities.

The needle blank, which is still of circular shape in cross section throughout its entire extent, excepting the beard portion, is now placed in a suitable press and flattened by a seueezing action, excepting for the portion the beard above the. groove, which portion is itself not subjected to suchflattening operation. Such flattening should not result in any irregularity at the base of the tapered portion, as these two portions should merge smoothly into each other. We employ the term pressing in a broad sense to refer to the flattening of the blank by pressure exerted in any suitable manner.

The blank so flattened has now the form shown in Fig. which is three times the It will be observed that the shoulder 2 is retained and that the portion B, even in its flattened condition, is relatively ver slender, so that it may be bent or damaged unless handled with great care. It is, however, important that the stem of a spring beard needle be slender, and particularly that the part upon which the old loop I is received below the beard be of the smallest possible diameter, so as not to subject the loop to distention. I

Because of the fact that a part of the stock was left of the original diameter, it results that we have providedsuflicient material for the butt which in its flattened but unfinished condition is. represented at 7 in Fig. 5. It will be observed that just above the butt the lower part of the stem is enlarged both at front and rear, as indicated at 8, 9. Moreover the butt 7 is itself not of proper size, and therefore following the flattening or pressing operation, it is necessary to trim or otherwise reduce the butt 7 to substantially exactly the right size to fit without undue. lost motion in the cam groove of the cam ring. Furthermore the pressed and subsequently trimmed butt and lower portion of the needle stem give a much more accurate formation than can be provided by the merely bent end of a needle shank, not formed by pressing a relatively large diameter stock to flattened form.

In Fig. 11, We have indicated at 10 the cam groove of the needle cylinder, and thereinrepresent in certain positions at 11 the needle butt in its trimmed, completed condition. It will be observed that the said butt 11 fits in said groove with a close running fit and without substantial'or undue lost motion. This is of great, and in fact of-vital importance in the formation of perfect fabric. Each needle in turn is .moved longitudinally in its groove in the needle cylinder by the cam groove of the cam'ring, the lower wall 12 of the cam groove acting to elevate the needle to receive the yarn and, the upper wall 13 of said groove acting to depress the needleto cast off the old stitch. [If the butt of the needle does not .work with a close running fit in the cam groove, there would be substantlalor undue lost motion both in the elevation and in the lowering 'of the needle, and this would result in inequalities and inaccuracies in the work. We have thus provided a new knitting organization including spring beard needles whose integral butts work with a close running fit in the cam groove and claimed in said'divisional application.

.We have stated that the lower ends or portions. of spring beard needles have been bent upon themselves so as to enter a notch or groove of a jack which itself is provided witha butt to enter the cam groove of the cam ring. Such bent portion of the needle could not itself be used to enter the cam groove for needle manipulation because it is not of suflicientvertical extent to be opera-ted without harmful lost motion in suchv groove. Moreover such a bent portion would not prevent lateral turning or twist ingof theneedle with consequent defect in the formation of the loop, and furthermore tion of butt and shank, has manifest advantages .over a construction wherein a needle stem of the same or substantially the same diameter throughout its lower part, is bent at its lower end (which isof small diameter and hence very springy), and is there received in a notch in a relatively rigid memberthe jackfrom which it may be easily accidentally separated, and from which it has a. tendency to spring away, owing to the spring band'embracing the entire series of needles.

When the needle has reached the stage represented in Fig. 5, we employ suitable means, preferably a punch and die, to trim the butt 7 and the lower part 8, 9 at the shank or stem to exactly the right proportions, as represented at 11, 14 in Fig. 6. For this purpose, we may employ a block or other suitable support 15, as represented in Fig. 8, and provide means for 'engaging the beard end portion of the needle or the portion adjacent thereto and for thatpurpose have herein shown a pin or projection 16 over which the beard 3 of the needle may be placed, but other suitable means may be employed for the purpose. The block is provided with a suitable opening, the edges of which areindicated at 17 and we provide a stop or shoulder 18 against which the portion 9- of the needle may be firmly held. as by means of a relatively strong spring. 19 which for best results should press against the part 8 and not against the slender part B of the stem or shank, since in the latter case the pressure, would tend to spring outwardly the parts 7, 8, 9 of Fig. 5, and therefore bring them into wrong position with respect to the edges 17 of the die. 'A very slight deflection or bending of the stem of the needle would result in the formation of a wholly useless or unserviceable needle, because of the wrong 'proportioning of the butt This fact will be appreciated when it is understood that in the formation of a spring beard needle the measurements are to .0001 of an inch.

The punch 19 shown in cross" section in Fig. 9, and the die, the outline of which is indicated at 17 in Fig. 8, or other suitable means employed for the purpose cut off from the portion 9 at the back of the lower part of the stem a piece which is indicated at 20 in Fig. 9, and from the butt portion 7, there is cut ofif 'a characteristically U-shaped piece indicated at 21 in Fig. 9, thus leaving the needle in its completed shape shown in Fig. 6, and lacking only the gaging the beard end portion of the needle,

very slight bending of the needle stem or shank, which'is indicated at 22 in Fig. 7. This step is desirably resorted to for the purpose of insuring the full amount of desired friction in the needle groove, but our invention is not limited to the necessary employment of such a step.

The removal of the parts 20, 21 leaves no burr. While within the scope of our invention we might remove the parts 20, 21 by a suitable milling process, as, for example, by clamping or holding the needles in sets and employing a suitable milling tool. to r mill the necessary edges, such a process would leave a burr to be removed later. We prefer to employ the step illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, not only because no burr is left, but because it is possiblethus to make the butt of exactly the right diameter. We may in certain cases, instead of swaging' or otherwise suitably reducing the needle blank to provide three diameters, provide the necessary shape by a stamping operation, or by first a partial drawing and then a stamping operation, for the purpose of not-drawing out-the material as much as. according to the first method disclosed. In such case, the beard of the needle, not being so finelydrawn, but being ground, is or may be tougher and stronger. '95 Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the needle of our invention and the best method known to us for practising the method of our invention, we desire it to be understoodthat although specific terms 1 are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims: 1. That process of making a spring beard needle comprising reducing a wire to a plurality of diameters, including a maximum diameter at the lower end and a 'minimum diameter at the upper end, forming the bearzLat the smaller end, bending the larger end at substantially right angles to provide material for anenlarged butt, pressing the needle blank so as to fiattenrthe stem and the butt, and thereafter accurately removing the surplus metal from the butt, thereby providing a butt adapted to fit the cam groove with a close running fit.

2. Means for making a spring beard needle with an integral butt for reception in the cam groove-of the cam cylinder in cluding a support with provisions for ena stop or abutment against which the lower end of the needle blank may be firmly held,

and a die for the butt and lower part of the shank, the edges of said die being positioned with relation to the said abutment. 3. Means for making a spring beard a stop or abutment against which the lower end of the needle blank may be firmly held and a die for the butt and lower part of the shank, the edges of said die being positioned with relation to the said abutment and means for firmly holding the lower en of the needle blank against said. stop or abutment, whereby a punch may be employed in cooperation with the die accurately to trim ofl surplus material and leave the needle butt of exact required size.

4. That process of making a spring beard needle comprising reducin a wire v to a plurality of diameters inc uding a maximum diameter at the lower end and a minimum diameter at the upper end, milling and tapering thesmaller end and then bending said end to form a spring beard; bending the larger end at substantially right angles to provide material for an enlarged butt; pressing the needle blank so as to flatten the same and the butt, and thereafter accurately removing the surplus metal from the butt to provide a butt adapted to fit the cam groove with a close running fit.

5. That process of making a spring beard needle comprising reducing a wire round in cross section to a plurality of diameters including a maximum diameter at the lower end and a minimum diameter at the upper end, tapering the smaller end and then bend-' ing said end to form a spring beard, bending the larger end of the wire at substantially right angles to provide material for an enlarged butt; pressing the needle blank excepting the spring beard. thereof so as to flatten the stem and the butt, and thereafter accurately removing the surplus metal from the butt to provide a butt adapted to fitthe cam groove with a close runnlng fit. In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification;

JOHN LAWSON. EVERETT A. QUINT. 

